1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collapsible playpen.
2. Description of the Related Art
The shapes of playpen frames have not significantly changed over the past years. Most playpen frames currently available on the market include four feet that are connected to vertical tubes, which are in turn connected with top rail corners. The top rail corners are connected with four top rails each of which being provided with a latch. Moreover, the feet are further connected to a center hub through multiple bar linkages.
Not only has the geometry remained constant, so has the folding and unfolding methods. To erect a traditional playpen, a caregiver must always first deploy the top rails and engage all the four latches on the top rails. Then the center hub can be engaged to erect the bottom half of the frame, which completes the unfolding sequence. To fold the frame, the aforementioned steps must be reversed: the center hub is first disengaged, which collapses the bottom half of the frame, and then each of the latches on the top rails can be disengaged for collapsing the top half of the frame. In other words, there are a specific folding sequence and a specific unfolding sequence that cannot be changed.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved playpen that is more convenient and flexible in use, and can address at least the foregoing issues.